Nightmares
by ArtemisHunter1123
Summary: Elizabeth ground her teeth and then let out a long sigh. I looked over and saw the midwife holding my child, that was crying and squirming. She wrapped my baby in a blue blanket and handed him to Elizabeth. She cooed and shook his little hand. "Hello James" Elizabeth said quietly. Her face began to contort in pain once again. This is the story of the Howlett family.


Chapter One

30th October 1835

11:58pm

I ran up the staircase to my wife and I's bedroom. Outside the doorway I saw my mother-in-law holding my one year old daughter in her arms, and my two year old son's small hand. "How is she?" I asked. Jeanne Howlett turned from the doorway and gave me a look that has made grown men cringe.

"How do you expect?" she said with a slight French accent. I opened my mouth to speak but Jeanne cut me off quickly, "Elizabeth is doing fine".

"Papa, why is Mama screaming?" asked little Victor, who was standing next to his grandmother and holding her dress with one of his tiny hands. An action that she did not find endearing. Jeanne moved the fabric of her dress away from the curious and frightened little boy. Victor pouts in response and hugged her leg. I smiled, Jeanne rolled her eyes and little Lilith began to squirm. I heard Jeanne tutting as I rushed into the room. My wife Elizabeth lies on our bed, gripping the sheets.

"Hi honey, how is the baby coming along?" I asked gently.

"How should I know?!" Elizabeth shouted. I grimaced and patted her hand lightly. She growled and gripped my hand. Victor toddled over and touched his mother's hand. Elizabeth ground her teeth and then let out a long sigh. I looked over and saw the midwife holding my child, that was crying and squirming. She wrapped my baby in a blue blanket and handed him to Elizabeth. She cooed and shook his little hand. "Hello James" Elizabeth said quietly. Her face began to contort in pain once again.

"What's happening Papa?" asked a distressed Victor. I looked at the midwife.

"She's having twins" she said. The children started crying. Jeanne walked in quickly and smoothly with the grace of a panther, and took Victor from the room. Butler moved from the window on the west wall and took baby James from the midwife's assistant. He followed Jeanne out the room. I gripped Elizabeth's hand tightly as she went through her contractions again. After a short time, Elizabeth let out another heavy sigh and I looked to the midwife once more.

She looked grim.

I released my wife's hand and stood next to the midwife. She was holding my newborn child. Her chest was barely moving up and down.

"Thomas? What-what's wrong? I want my baby" said Elizabeth weakly. I moved the baby from the midwife's arms and into mine. I tucked the little, red blanket carefully around my girl, so she would not get cold. She was trying to open her little eyes. Tried to move her tiny arms and hands. I walked slowly over to Elizabeth, who was waiting for her baby. I gently handed her the child and she wrapped her arms protectively around our child. Elizabeth's brow furrowed and she started to gently rock the little girl.

"What will her name be dear?" I asked. Elizabeth and I had made a deal before the children were born. I would name the first two children and she would name the last two.

"I think her name will be Anna" Elizabeth responded. I left her and my newborn daughter to lean out the doorway to motion for Butler and Jeanne to re-enter the room. Victor ran into the room and climbed onto the bed, next to his exhausted mother. Elizabeth giggled and tussled his hair. Jeanne placed Lilith next to her big brother. With all of the noise that had been occurring, Lilith was now fully awake and began to move around. Jeanne placed her down on the bed and Butler handed James over to me. Victor crawled up closer to his mother and brushed his hand over Anna's head. She began to open her eyes and started to look around. Her eyes kept closing. Lilith was able to wriggle over to her belly. I moved to the other side of Elizabeth and sat down next to her. Butler paid the midwives and ushered them out of the room.

"Do you want to swap?" I asked Elizabeth with a big grin. This was a fantastic day. I held James out to her.

Elizabeth gave a weak smile and nodded. "Sure sweetheart" she said as she passed little Anna to me and I gave her James. James wiggled around furiously until Elizabeth gave him a small, soft toy bear to play with.

For twins James and Anna were quite different. James was bigger than Anna. James moved around and made more noise than Anna. If fact, Anna seemed to be much weaker than James.

"Elizabeth darling" I said in a concerned voice. I began to rock James softly as he played with the toy.

Elizabeth did not take her attention from Anna. "Yes Thomas?" she replied as she moved a finger in front of Anna's face. Anna was trying as hard as she could to reach her mother's finger with her small arms and tiny hands.

I swallowed, "Do you think that Anna is- um- well?"

She looked directly into my eyes. "What do you mean well? I'm sure once she has some food she will be fine" Elizabeth answered, kissing Anna on the forehead then on James' forehead as well.

I nodded. Of course. Anna was just a bit weakened by a long birth. She will be alright once she has some milk from her mother. "Well, speaking of food, I will leave you, James and Anna to –um- have some milk. I will take Lilith and Victor downstairs then they shall go straight to bed" I kissed Elizabeth on the forehead then picked up little Lilith as she wiggled on her stomach. Grabbing Victor was harder. He had recently figured out how to walk and run around therefore, that meant he had to run everywhere. Butler was able to pick him up as he practically flew past his grandmother who tried to grab him on the way past.

"No, no!" Victor squealed as tried to get out of Butler's grasp. Elizabeth laughed.

"Come on, bring them over here. I need to say goodnight" she giggled as she cuddled James and Anna. Anna made a little content noise and yawned, resting her head against her mother. Little James was already asleep and clutching his soft toy. I brought Lilith over and Elizabeth kissed her on the head. Lilith then decided it would be a good time to pull on her mother's red hair. "Ahh, sweety, no pulling on mama's hair sweetheart!" she exclaimed as Jeanne untangled the two. Butler and Victor came over. Victor flung his arms around his mother's neck and refused to let go.

"I wanna stay with mama" he whined as he buried his face into her neck. Lilith responded in kind by crying. "I wanna stay with mama and the babies!" Victor whined again. Elizabeth kissed him and managed to calm down him and his sister, whilst having two other children sleeping restlessly in their mother's arms. She then said good night to them and promised they could play with younger siblings tomorrow.

Butler and Jeanne took the children downstairs as I wished Elizabeth, James and Anna a goodnight. I kissed the children on each of their heads and Elizabeth on the lips. "Goodnight love" I whispered.

Elizabeth grinned and kissed me again. "Good night handsome" she whispered back. I smiled back and began to leave. "Hey honey," she started as I reached the doorway. I turned back, "Did you realise that James was born in the last minutes of October 30th and Anna was born during the first minutes of October 31st?"

I chuckled, "No sweetheart, I did not notice that. Now feed those children and get some sleep. You need it".

She rolled her eyes, "Yes, whatever". She looked down at James and Anna and rocked them slowly. "Our children will do something great. I can feel it" she prophesied. I nodded. "Now, go feed those children downstairs and then come back here for some sleep" Elizabeth mock ordered.

I moved my heels together and saluted her. "Yes captain" I grinned and quickly ran downstairs to feed Victor and Lilith. Today was a great day.


End file.
